1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus which records information on a recording medium and/or reproduces recorded information from a recording medium while driving the medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recording and/or reproducing apparatus, especially those adapted for still video cameras, have recently held public attention. However, it is important for a recording and/or reproducing apparatus of this kind to be reduced in size and weight and the capacity of the power source to be incorporated therein should be more portable. This requirement calls for an arrangement to save electric energy from being wasted. It is also necessary to provide the apparatus with suitable means for protecting a recording medium driving motor or a motor driving circuit from being damaged by a continuous large current flow to the motor when the apparatus is out of order. Meanwhile, the recording medium are also becoming smaller and thinner and thus becoming mechanically frail as the size and weight of the apparatus are reduced. The apparatus, therefore, should protect the recording medium from being damaged.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus which is capable of solving the above problems presented by the apparatus of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus which is capable of preventing a recording medium or a recording medium driving means from being damaged by an undue driving action on the medium or by overloading the driving means even if the recording medium is inappositely loaded or mounted on the apparatus.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus which is capable of preventing the waste of electric energy by cutting off the power to a recording medium driving motor when no movement of a recording medium is detected after the power supply to the motor has commenced; it prevents the motor or a motor driving circuit from being damaged by a continuous large current flow when a load is imposed on the motor to hinder it from rotating for some reason under the above condition or when the recording medium is either broken or inappositely mounted on the recording medium, so that the safety and durability of both the apparatus and the recording medium can be enhanced.
It is another another object of the invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus which is not only capable of attaining the above object but is also capable of preventing wasted electric energy by supplying power to the recording medium driving motor only when mounting of the recording medium on the apparatus is detected.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus including means for preventing a recording medium and parts associated therewith from being damaged either at the time of mounting the medium or immediately after mounting and also for protecting the operator of the apparatus from any danger.
These and further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.